[David Stevenson]

Hi David, would this be of any use to you – https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DrhND … kExXGnsFK5

Davy

[David Stevenson]

Definitely head strikes as Phill said. We have to advance our material approx 1m in the morning if its been in the machine overnight. If you look at your head you’ll most likely find it is all small scratches running from left to right 🙁

[David Stevenson]

We got asked to do a job similar to Ewans by a local undertakers. A young lady had passed away with a brain tumour and some of her favourite things were butterflies and angels. The problem was that it was very short notice and whilst we had previously measured the coffin and had the graphics ready to go unfortunately the young girl was in her coffin 🙁 I put on my best suite and went to the girls home where the undertakers closed the coffin for me. After fitting the graphics (butterflies & angels) her family returned and promptly broke down in tears. At this point I made a swift exit or I’d have been standing in tears beside them.

Without a doubt one of the hardest jobs I’ve had to do. It was however a pleasure to be able to help with her final wishes.

[David Stevenson]

I find wrapcut great for straight lines, if you’ve corners to go round 3m’s design line is much better. It’s designed to handle corners 🙂

[David Stevenson]

Brilliant. :claps: :claps: Thank you Simon. Flat out printing thousands of Christmas cards so haven’t time at the moment to test the profile. Sounds very promising especially after hearing what Jamie "steal the thread" hunt said lol. This bit of info could be our saving grace 🙂 Thought we were going to have to buy ink and bring our old HP wide format out of retirement.

[David Stevenson]

Cheers Steven, I’ll give them a try, hopefully they’ll have a profile to suit a EJ640. Waiting to hear from Roland to see if they can give me any suitable profiles as well 🙂

[David Stevenson]

Robert wins lol!

[David Stevenson]

Was thinking of getting one of these myself 😆

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[David Stevenson]

Thanks David, I seemed to have missed that post 🙂 You’d think we’d no beds to go to lol

[David Stevenson]

Lol, going to print that and stick it up tomorrow. We gets lots of customers like that.

[David Stevenson]

Just spent 2 hours building a play mobil police station for my sons birthday! Bags and bags of tiny bits.Wish they’d had a bigger 3D printer 🙁

[David Stevenson]

Gave it a go a couple of times and was more hassle than it was worth. The material was so heavy in our GR640 cutter that it caused constant feed motor errors :bangshead: . Ended up with me at the back of the machine and a workmate at the front holding the material up in the air to take the weight off it. If we ever done it again I’d cut it into small sections rather than one big sheet. Probably wont do it again though as there guys 10 miles away from us that do it all the time. Any time we’re asked we just send the work their way.

[David Stevenson]

Thanks guys. Paused the machine during the cut and sure enough you can get into the menus to change the settings should the job require it. Thanks again 🙂

[David Stevenson]

When getting our new machine we toyed with this question ourselves. In the end we decided to sacrifice printing speed for a wider range of colours. There is on occasions where we’d like it to print faster but we’ve found that by scheduling our jobs better we can work around this, even if it means leaving the machine printing overnight. If you need a really fast print speed there is an option in the updated version of versaworks dual under "generic banner 1" which runs super fast. Print quality suffers as you’d expect though. We never use it but its always there if need be.

[David Stevenson]

quote Hugh Potter:

quote David Stevenson:

I’m guessing no one really cares / has better things to do with their life?

sums up my opinion, however, if it were a rugby ball they got wrong, I’d be up in arms!

Lol [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[David Stevenson]

I’m guessing no one really cares / has better things to do with their life?

[David Stevenson]

We use a warrior too. Makes a decent job for the price.

[David Stevenson]

Not a match but a supplier all the same – http://www.mdpsupplies.co.uk/decorativewindowfilms.asp might be of some help

[David Stevenson]

We have a Roland GR-640 cutter for a few months now which after a lot of hassle is now working perfect, well almost perfect. It has 2 very annoying issues which I don’t believe can be resolved. Firstly there is a narrow channel at the front of the machine which the edge of your material constantly gets stuck in causing motor errors. Secondly and without a doubt the most annoying is having to change the blade position in the holder when you want to cut and perf. The machine cuts all the stickers before returning to origin to change the blade position. It then perfs everything on that sheet before asking again for the blade to be moved to cut the next sheet. The reason to move the blade is that went perforating the blade runs into a channel rather than on a cutting strip to make it last longer. Personally I’d rather it just stayed in the same place and done the complete job without needing a baby sitter 🙁

On a brighter note is super accurate when cutting, that is after you’ve finished changing blade positions!

[David Stevenson]

Hi, We don’t do a massive amount of wall graphics but when we do we use Oracal 651 coloured vinyls or Oracal 3651g or 3651gra printable (gra has air channels to prevent bubbles). Haven’t had anyone come back yet, thankfully. 3651 has quite a high tack.

Regards,
Davy

[David Stevenson]

Just updated ourselves Stephen and seems to be running perfect thankfully. Having terrible problems with our new gr640 cutter which apparently this update will fix. Hadn’t time to test it yet. A fresh install may be the only way to go for you 🙁

[David Stevenson]

I agree with Phill, if you’ve the space and can afford a steeltrak it’s definitely the way to go. Saves having to rely on others for cutting. Also they have what’s known as a "v groove" tool which is great for folding the edges of acm to 90 degrees. If you intend to do that make sure the material is suitable for that purpose. We couldn’t understand why ours kept snapping when we folded it, it was because the core is a different material if you intend to bend it. Lesson learned!

[David Stevenson]

quote David Stevenson:

Have been using max 3 now for quite a while now without any problems 🙂

[David Stevenson]

Have been using max 3 now gut quite s while no without any problems 🙂

[David Stevenson]

Yeah John definitely wins on style & finish. Might rip off his design some day we’re quiet 😉

[David Stevenson]

Here’s the Irish version I made!

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[David Stevenson]

Sorry shawn meant to say the 1st layer is reverse printed on clear vinyl then backed up using sticker paper (must have a white back). Tried using a white backed vinyl but in most cases you can still see the other layer through it. Using Oracal 3620 or 3640 clear along with sihl 275sa sticker paper.

[David Stevenson]

Hi Shawn, I’m not exactly printing double sided. I print 2 sheets then laminate them together back to back. I start by setting up an art boards in Illustrator with 2 layers and a cross symbol in each corner. I switch off whichever layer isn’t needed before saving ,then print both sheets using the exact same parameters eg. set sheet size to custom cut 1300mm w x 1000mm long. Put the same quantities into each with the same spacing. Once printed I cut a small corner out of the crosses on each corner, lay the sheets back to back on our rollover table then laminate them together. I used to stick the edge of the sheets together using masking tape then laminate them using our roll laminator but thankfully we’ve upgraded a bit. That’s probably as clear as mud, if you need any more help just let me know and I’ll take a few pics.

All the best
Davy

[David Stevenson]

Hi Joe, Yeah firmware has been updated, as has versaworks. Had an engineer here yesterday calibrating the sensor and doing general tests. 4 hours later he walked out scratching his head, still not sorted. Can’t even switch to tool mode as that doesn’t work either. Very disappointed. Running another basic cut job here and all working perfect. Problem been is that’s not all we do, a big part of our business is producing various of stickers eg. un-laminted, laminated, & double sided.

Regards,
Davy

[David Stevenson]

Hi, is the Hexis product you mention a paper or vinyl? Thanks

[David Stevenson]

Hi Andrew, the only type I’ve been able to find self adhesive is made by sihl. Problem is it’s 275gsm! I’ve found orafol 3164 Matt finish is good for labels. You can write on it no problem using a ball point pen

[David Stevenson]

quote Chris Jarvis:

quote David Stevenson:

We had one before and when I removed the tank and when I looked inside the machine there is a thin pipe the waste ink comes out. I got a piece of clear pipe and slipped it over the drain pipe and put the other end in a clear bottle on the floor. Stuck to whole lot to the side of the desk with cable clips. Job done.

So there’s a fourth way?!

Yeah replace the wadding with cheap "lady pads" works a charm 😉

[David Stevenson]

quote Chris Jarvis:

quote David Stevenson:

On a slightly different note. What do you do when your waste ink tank is full on your bn20?

I bought a genuine new replacement tank when the machine was still under warranty, then I hand cut new wadding for one tank before the other is 100% full.

The other two ways are:
Buy ready cut wadding
Buy a new tank every time

We had one before and when I removed the tank and when I looked inside the machine there is a thin pipe the waste ink comes out. I got a piece of clear pipe and slipped it over the drain pipe and put the other end in a clear bottle on the floor. Stuck to whole lot to the side of the desk with cable clips. Job done.

[David Stevenson]

On a slightly different note. What do you do when your waste ink tank is full on your bn20?

[David Stevenson]

Yeah the temptation is definitely there to change it. I’d say theres definitely ground’s for "inherit fault"

[David Stevenson]

Hi Denise, no all our machines have been installed by our supplier which are registered Roland dealers and repair agents. Some of the issues they seen immediately and done all they could to sort them out for us but on account of the machine having been just released there was very little help available from Roland. We’re speaking directly now with Roland about our issues and they are doing all they can. The issues are also new to them hence their lack of solutions. They currently running test files supplied by use to see if they can find a solution for us. In the meantime though it’s still a nightmare 🙁

[David Stevenson]

Probably best if they stopped selling it. Take Rob and others advice, don’t touch unpainted bumpers – misery will follow 🙁

[David Stevenson]

Brand new Rob. Un-boxed and assembled here along with a new EJ-640. Honestly breaking our hearts since we’ve got it. All we want is for it to work as it should. Seemed a good idea to get rid of the XR640 as we do quite a lot of printing but the XR always seemed to be tied up cutting while the print queue got bigger. Thought if we got a separate printer and cutter one could be printing while the other was cutting. The whole blade change position is a nightmare.

Here’s a previous rant about it – topic65804.html

P.S. When you said Rob not to try to wrap an unpainted bumper I really wish I’d listened. Its been back now for the 3rd time! Thought Sotts primer material would have done the job but it failed 🙁

[David Stevenson]

Tried the primer material from Sott. Absolutely rubbish for caddy bumpers. There’s an orange peel effect on the surface which prevents it sticking properly. Super aggressive adhesive. Van back now for the 3rd time. Material lifting as it’s getting water under it. Definitely learnt the hard way on this one 🙁

[David Stevenson]

I’d always questioned the back to front theory myself based on like you said Rob about how well vinyl sticks to itself. It was something Justin Pate spoke about when I was on a wrap course with him. Personally I prefer working left to right. Perhaps it’s because it’s what we’re used to when writing?

[David Stevenson]

Nice one. Looks the part 🙂

[David Stevenson]

Hi George, I’m running 3 Roland’s. An EJ640 printer, a Gr640 cutter, and a SP540 print & cut machine. We print the majority of our stickers on the SP540 as some smart arse in Roland decided it would be a good idea to put a blade holder with 2 positions on the GR. This is a great idea if you want to just perf a material or cut straight through it as there’s a channel for the blade to go into rather than cutting into the cutting strip. The problem with this is if you want to say put a cut line round multiple stickers on an a4 sized sheet the perf round the outside edge you have to keep changing the blade position after each action! No way to over ride this so really disappointed with this feature 🙁

[David Stevenson]

quote Ewan Chrystal:

signsaw-pro-982

Bought one of these and a total waste of money! Makes a terrible mess even with a high power vacuum attached, very restricted to what depth it can cut, and massively over priced compared to similar models available for the wood working trade. On the plus side does a very neat cut with the correct fine toothed blade if your prepared to clean the entire work piece and cutting area afterwards

[David Stevenson]

Not sure if minaki or the rip your using has a perforation feature but when I make stickers I lay them out on a sheet approx a4 or a3 then add a perf line around the outside edge. Versaworks reads this and perfs them which allows them to easily be separated into sheets. Doesn’t mean you can’t charge more for this than supplied on a roll. Just gives a neater product with less manual cutting 🙂

[David Stevenson]

Thanks guys, I appreciate your help 🙂

[David Stevenson]

I agree. Laminate everything. For a few extra quid it will save you a lot of hassle. Even applying it to boards is much easier.

[David Stevenson]

There’s a spray called "right on" available in the UK which you spray onto the glass before you apply your material. It allows you to squeeze out the bubbles then evaporates after a few minutes. Although I tend to agree with Danny that a low cost wrapping vinyl would do your job, possibly better than the "right on" . I’m not a big fan of wet installs as you need to be certain you get all the liquid removed before it damages the adhesive.

[David Stevenson]

Sorry I can’t help you with a resolution to your problem but I can say our brand new xr640 ended up been exchanged because of this. We lost hundreds of pounds of materials with this fault. We were printing graphics with crop marks, then laminating them and putting them back in to cut. The machine read the first 3 marks but when it went to read the 4th it was in the wrong place! When sheets were measured we found one side was longer than the other. Absolute nightmare.

[David Stevenson]

Hi, I know it doesn’t help in this situation but for future reference there’s now a knife-less tape available with 2 wires in it designed for the very purpose of expansion joints. Run it down the joint then pull the 2 wires at once. Costs a few quid more but saves a lot of hassle

[David Stevenson]

We’ve had a couple of 640’s. 1st was an absolute disaster, was bought brand new and was faulty from day 1. Destroyed a fortunes worth of material. Couldn’t cut accurately even with 40mm of bleed around the text. Finally got it replaced and thankfully the second one was great. Had a few problems with error messages which got resolved when I believe what is known as a new "scan motor" was fitted. Changed it now to a separate printer and cutter which is great as one can print while the other cuts. Allows for an uninterrupted work flow

[David Stevenson]

Just done a vw caddy with orafol 970ra. Reasonable price and easy to work with

[David Stevenson]

I need the same product for a vw caddy van we’re wrapping. 1st time doing a full colour change wrap. Have done loads of half wraps, roofs, mirrors etc so hoping this isn’t going to be a nightmare. Just a bit concerned about the bumpers.

[David Stevenson]

Hi Simon

I posted a reply but It has been removed as I have broken the site rules twice.

Mod-edit

[David Stevenson]

No need for edge sealer although make sure you put the sheets on in the right order. If fitting horizontal fit bottom sheet first so rain water runs off rather than behind the seam. If fitting vertically fit the back sheets first so wind / rain / branches don’t catch the edges when been towed.

[David Stevenson]

It does both if done correctly. Initially helping it to stick bit also "casts" it into shape provided the correct temperature is reached. Seen a demo done by Justin Pate explaining this.

[David Stevenson]

Thanks for the advice guys. Seems a case of what looks right is right 🙂

[David Stevenson]

What about the recesses on the cupboard doors? Do you do each door in one piece or several pieces?

[David Stevenson]

Slow isn’t it? The BN seems to be everyone’s start up machine. You start to see results, then you realise how slow it is. Can’t see you having much trouble moving it on. Would do no harm to speak to sign & digital. They sell used machines

[David Stevenson]

Hi, we always add a second strip of tape when assembling retractable banners. We’ve been using 3m 9088fl tape for years without any problems thankfully.

[David Stevenson]

Hi, there is other reels available. You could try signanddigital.com we got some with our sp540